The schedule has been released for the fifth annual Greater Middlesex Conference Soccer for a Cause Charity Festival, which will be held Sept. 27 at Metuchen High School with 10 games contested across multiple fields at staggered start times.
The showcase will feature 20 girls soccer teams who are uniting to help pediatric cancer patients and other children in need through their participation in the fundraising event, which will benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation and Go4theGoal.
In addition, the more than 300 players and coaches involved in the 2025 Soccer for a Cause Charity Festival will also collect nonperishable food items for REPLENISH, a regional food bank serving Middlesex County residents.
Over the past four years, the charity festival has raised more than $50,000 for the two nonprofits while also generating nearly three tons of food for REPLENISH.
Since its inception seven years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has donated more than $400,000 to assist pediatric patients and underserved children throughout the greater Middlesex County area.
Go4theGoal’s mission is to improve the lives of children battling cancer by providing financial support, developing, and implementing unique hospital programs, funding innovative research, and granting personal wishes.
The event fittingly occurs in September, which is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and National Hunger Awareness Month.
On the eve of the festival, representatives from each of the participating teams will gather at Metuchen High School for a Sportsmanship and Leadership Summit, during which players will engage in icebreaker activities and hear from guest speakers.
Festival schedule
Following are the festival matchups and start times with field locations:
Woodbridge vs. East Brunswick, varsity grass field, 9 a.m.
J.P. Stevens vs. Old Bridge, turf field, 9 a.m.
North Plainfield vs. Edison, varsity grass field, 11 a.m.
Carteret vs. Piscataway, adjacent grass field, 11 a.m.
Monroe vs. Saddle River Day, turf field, 11 a.m.
South Brunswick vs. North Brunswick, varsity grass field, 2 p.m.
Sayreville vs. New Brunswick, adjacent grass field, 2 p.m.
Wardlaw-Hartridge vs. Spotswood, turf field, 2 p.m.
Metuchen vs. Middlesex, varsity grass field, 4 p.m.
Colonia vs. Perth Amboy, turf field, 4 p.m.
Friendly competition
In the days leading up to the showcase, the 20 festival teams are engaging in a friendly competition off the field to raise money for the two charities.
Carteret, East Brunswick, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Perth Amboy, Sayreville, Spotswood, Wardlaw-Hartridge, and Woodbridge will raise money for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
Colonia, Edison, J.P. Stevens, Metuchen, Middlesex, Monroe, Old Bridge, Piscataway, Saddle River Day, and South Brunswick will raise money for Go4theGoal.
The top fundraising teams for each charity will be publicly recognized during a special awards presentation on the day of the festival.
Helping children in need
Marisa Tufaro survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle. She was just 13 years old.
Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, Marisa was an Edison Township Public Schools honor roll student involved in myriad extracurricular activities. She lived a vibrant life that inspired.
In addition to donating more than $400,000 to fulfill its mission, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has spearheaded multiple community initiatives resulting in the collection of thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter coats, baby supplies, school supplies, and other items for donation upon which it has placed no monetary value.
The foundation has also awarded $36,500 in college academic scholarships to 50 Middlesex County high school graduates and sent 31 elementary and middle school students to a weeklong summer art camp at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Museum.
The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has benefited from dozens of fundraisers, ranging in size from individual events at Greater Middlesex Conference schools to conference-wide all-star games and tournaments featuring student-athletes from the entire league.
“The Greater Middlesex Conference has been our nonprofit’s biggest supporter,” said Cyndi Tufaro, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s executive director. “Words can never express our gratitude to all those throughout the conference who have selflessly worked together over the past eight years to profoundly impact the lives of children in need.
“The Greater Middlesex Conference girls soccer community is continuing that tradition in exemplary fashion. We are honored to once again join Go4theGoal as a beneficiary of this amazing charity festival.”
Fighting pediatric cancer
New Jersey residents Dr. Richard Stefanacci and his wife, Beth, founded Go4theGoal in 2006, soon after their oldest child was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
Go4theGoal’s Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer fundraising initiative was created in 2011 in response to New Jersey youth soccer teams that wanted to help make a difference, and now gives sports teams across the country an opportunity to raise awareness and much-needed support. All funds stay in the state they are raised to help local children battling cancer.
“On behalf of Go4theGoal, we are incredibly honored to be one of two beneficiaries for the Greater Middlesex Conference Charity Festival,” said Beth Stefanacci, Go4theGoal’s executive director.
“We have had the privilege of partnering with a number of girls soccer teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference through our Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer initiative over the past several years. We are truly grateful to all of the coaches for including us. It is only because of the efforts of teams like these that we are able to make a difference in the lives of kids battling cancer and their families in New Jersey.”
According to the American Cancer Society, this year about 9,550 children between 1 and 14 years of age in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer. Cancer will claim the lives of about 1,040 children under the age of 15 nationwide in 2025. Cancer is second only to accidents as the leading cause of death in children 14 and younger.
Childhood cancer rates have been rising slightly for the past few decades, but with major advances in treatment, 85% of children with cancer now survive five years or more, a significant increase from the mid-1970s when the five-year survival rate was less than 60% (survival rates vary greatly depending on myriad factors including the type of cancer with which a child is diagnosed).
Since 2007, Go4theGoal has funded more than $1 million in pediatric cancer research and works with nearly 200 hospitals across the country to provide assistance to patients and families.
Go4theGoal has annually been rated since 2011 as a top nonprofit by GreatNonprofits.com and has a Platinum Seal of Approval from Guidestar.
Food for thought
For the fifth consecutive year, the Soccer for a Cause Charity Festival will also collect donations for REPLENISH, which serves a network of more than 135 local food pantries, soup kitchens and social service agencies.
Spectators attending the charity festival are encouraged to drop off nonperishable food items at Metuchen High School on the day of the event.
Canned chicken, cereal, macaroni and cheese, canned meats, pasta, vegetables (low sodium), fruits (low sugar), diapers, wipes, stew (low sodium), granola bars, rice, dry beans (red, black, pinto), paper products, soap, shampoo, and toothpaste are among the preferred items for donation. REPLENISH can only accept canned and packaged goods (no glass items).
According to the latest data from Feeding America, more than 89,000 Middlesex County residents, including 20,000 children, are food insecure.
Escalating fuel costs and rising inflation rates have exacerbated the issue, as over 1 million state residents are currently food insecure.
“Lacking sufficient food presents many challenges for everyone, but the impacts on children are particularly devastating,” said Jennifer Apostol, director of REPLENISH, which serves Middlesex County residents including an estimated 20,000 children.
“Children who face hunger are more at risk for serious health conditions like anemia, asthma, diabetes, and obesity and are more likely to be hospitalized. Children dealing with food insecurity also face academic challenges. When a child is hungry, they have difficulty focusing on their classwork, and cannot retain the information and skills necessary to flourish.”
Regardless of the outcomes of the 10 games being contested at Metuchen High School on Sept. 27, pediatric cancer patients, children in need and food insecure families will all benefit from one common goal.